Aeroplane.



AEROPLANE.

APHIGATION FILED JAN.13.1912.

Patented Apr, 29, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

nvvEN'roRs AT1-camas HvA JLIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIJHUH ||||||H VJITNESSES W. J. L P. A. BOND. AEROPLANB.

APPLICATXON FILED JAN.13,1912.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TTOMNEY W. J. n F. A. BOND.

ABROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13.1912.

l ,060,5 3G. Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHBBT 3.

lNvfffvroRs BY @fikn @f-,

jg". {NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i' l.vvlILLIai/r .LBOND AND REDERICK A'. BOND, or CLIFTON HEIGHTS, PENNSJAILVANIA,

ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FIFTH TO HENRY ENEU JOHNSON, 0F LANSDOWNE, PENNSYL- .VANIA.

V v n AERPLNE.

.A 1,060,530. specification or Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

' f i, United states, and. residents of Clifton Application filed January 13, 1912. Serial No. 671,083i

\ f To all whom it may concern.' 1 ".--Be 1t known thatwe, WILLIAM BOND -and FREDERICK A. BOND, citizens' of the and the latter to either side, so as to prefor the purpose of *balancing the machine, tor elevating or depressing it or for steering 1t. The main wings are so connectedto the device that controls their curvature that when the rear surface of one-Wing is curved upward the rear surfacevv of .the otherl wing is curved downward, but yto -a lesser' de- 5 Heights, in the county4 of Delaware and State of Pennsylvaniathave invented cer- .1; tain'new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specificaation.' 1o Our invention relates to improvementsin sent an unbroken curved'surface Vto thevair,55

= aeroplanes, and the objects of our invention are, first, tofurnish an improved'construcze-tion of the. air engaging surfaces, by which we mean the-main wings, the wing or plane gree,. and as we depend principally upon these wings for maintaining the horizontal balance of the machine as wellas supporting f it in the aiI'J'the possibility of curving them. -vertically in' different. directionss'imultanelrforldirecting the' rising or falling of the ously will result in the air acting to lift Lmachiuey and 'the rudder, wherebythese one wing and todepress the other wing wimannen :superior to that 'accomplished by any. of the construct-ions at present in use. 29.-."Seeond, t'o provide'a sliding or movable Seat fs-fifor thev operator so connected with the rear wingv or plane `which governs the rising or.-

be moving through the airsteadily with the vmain wings horizontal yno manipulation ofthemainwings is required, but if itA rocks so thatone wing is lowered and the other when they are so operated. If the machine 7c raised\the rearfsurface of the lowr wing is -fa'lling of the machine .that the instinctive i movement' of the operator, backward if .the l 'A25ufront of the machine in flight tilts down, 'i ,-"forward, if it tilts up, will notonly cause verse y, `the two former eitherup or. down 'curved downward and therear surface of theupper wing is simultaneously curved up-v vward with the result that the lo`wer wingis instantly raised while the higher one is ing, plane on a line a-a,'l"ig. 1'; Fig. 5, a

a lon itudinal change in the center of grav. instantly lowered. 80 uity o .the machine but will at the same time, The rear surface of the elevating or dethrough the connections between the seat pressing plane can likewise be curved up or' 30 and plane, curve the plane properly to cordown. If it be curved up the pressure of .i rect its flight. Third, to so connect the the air against it will act to depress 'it and main or forwardwings of the machine that the rear part of the machine, hence the nia-4., 85 they will themselves' automatically correct chine will rise. If the rear surface bf this' the tendency of the machine to turn sidewise plane be -curved downward the rear part 35 whenA these wings are warped toY bring the of the machine will be raised and thefront- J .machine into a horizontal position. Fourth, partvlowercd and the machine will fall.

to so construct` the rear-,or elevating and de- Our rudder is rigidly fastened to the main pressing, plane and the rudder, that they frame of the machine and guides it in iiight will havev at all times a true aero, or parato the right or left bylieing Dent to the right 4o bolic, curve, sharp 'at its forward end and or left, a comparatively slight bending of more gradual toward its rear. the rudder 'causing animmcdiate change in' Our invention will be described in conthe direction of Hight. ncction with the Bleriot t pe of monoplane Our invention is illustrated in the accoihhut it will be understood thatit may be panying drawings in which similar numer- 45 used, in whole or in-part, with anyv of the als of reference indicate vsimilar arts other well known typesof monoplane or bithroughout the several views and in whichplane, Figure 1, is a plan view of an aero `lane 100 Briefly speaking our invent-ion consists in embodying our improvements, part o one so constructing the main wings, the elevatof the main wings being broken away; FiU. 5o ing or depressing plane, and the rudder, :2. a front elevation of Fig. lgFig. 3, a si e "either one. or all, in such a manner that their elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a` section on an rear ortions may be bent-or curvedrtransenlarged scale, through the rcaror elevat- 'section on' an enlarged scale,through a main plaebn-'a line B-'-B, Fig."1;Fig. 6, a side elevation of seatshowing connection thereto' the rudder when bent; Fig. l0, a front elez,d

vation of parts of wires, pulleys and :sprocket wheel .for bending' i'ear-ends of main wings; ,Fig 1 1, a diagrammatic View z of the'. machine sho'wing "the rear portions of fdowm i 15 the inain frame'ofwthe machine which the main wingyslbent Aone up the'other Acarries thev engine, -theseveral wings and rudder, andhtheloperator, it may be. of any. Vsuitable constructlon and not need de-` 1 .lfSf-fl-'l aretheinainlor supporting wings rvhichl :are 'substantially horizontally dis- -P osed. ,They consist eaehaof a' front spar'18 anda 'rearsparldividing thewings longitudinally into three ls ec'tionsof'-ap roximately equal width, ,whichare suitab y se- .;.cured to the ma-in vframe 15 and of curved 30.' ribs 26 oo sisting 'each' o? two members 2 0-211y l"tween andto which .the spars are secured. Between fthe two'-spars the ribs 20-.21A are: strengthened by bracing 22, in lfront; of. the;frontfsparA 1 3V the ribs. carry, preferably, a solid .end-23,V which preferably perforated as shown' i'n Fig.` 5 for lightness, and tothe rear: of the rearspar 19 the ribs may-be connected byicli s 24. which pre- -ventthern from separating ut`wh'ich are so 4o. arranged as to permit aslig'ht sliding of the Y `ribs when their partsto the rear of spar -191are bent upward or'downward. Attheir extreme rear. ends the two ribs are not connected but touch, or nearly touch, each other as shown in Fi 5.

, 25- 1-'27 afre regs extending lengthwise one 'rfefniain ,wing the other lengthwise of .the other mainwing. These rods are placed between ,the two members 20-21 forming the soyupper and lower parts of the ribs. The rods are secured t to.- the rib members by springconnections 28 which consist simply of U-shaped pieces off wire the ends of which are securedto the rods and the .bights of which pass :over .the strips 20-2l.

`Tofthered 25 of the wing 16 are secured cables 'o'rwires- 80, of which there may be :any suitablenumber, one, two or more, the sinner ends ofwhich are secured to the upper 6ft-fend of a s yrocket-chain 3 5. 32am cables @Hor wires, a so secured to rod 25, the inner fiendsr'of which are" secured to the lower end "of ,s Yrocket chain 35. The sprocket chain, 4.or the cablespass Aover pulleys 30-34' carried by the main frame of the machine.,

YTo the rod 27 of the wing 1,7 are secured cables or wires 8l the inner ends 'of which are rod 27, the inner ends of which are securedI 79 to the lower end of sprocket chain 82. The

chain 82 or the cables 33-81 Ipass over Apulleys 30-34-simil'ar to those for t-he chain 35 or -cables 32-80.

36 is a sfprocket wheel eccentrically carried g e chain 35 is in'm'esh with the teeth upon one side .of the wheel 36, the chain 82 with the teeth 35, through the cables 'or wires 32,` to bend down theafter side of the rightwing 16' and vthe chain 82, through [the wires or wcables 81,"te lift the flexible part of the left win 17. T elejiect of the bendingvor warping the wings lequally is notvonly 'to cause the machine to right itself but also to turn to the.

right if the right wing be lowered, to the left Aif the left wing be lowered, and in order to counteract this turning we not only warpfor bend the two wings simultaneouslybut. we bend one win up to a greater degree than we bend the'ot er one down. This is performed automatically by the eccentrically mounted sprocket wheel 36 a rotation of which in either direction, causes the sprocket wheel to move one of the chains which it operates to a greater degree than the other.-

The bending of the wingscauses them to offer more resistance to the air than when in their normal position and the greater the bending the greater the resistance, hence when the machine tilts, if the upper wing be bent or warped to a greater' degree than the lower, it will offer greater resistance to the air than the lower and the tendency of the-machine to turn in the direction of the lowered wirig will be L'ounteracted.

When one of the rods 25-27 is pulled up or pulled down it pulls up or down with it 37- which carries an' o erating 4Wheel 38, .as shown in Fig. 10. Th)

.ating the sprocket wheel to cause the chain the after endsof the transverse frame 26 .of the wings, that is to say7 it bends up or ldown that part of these frames which lie tothe rear of the rear spars 19.

The rear end of the frames 2G are each constructed of the two super-posed pieces 20-21 preferably constructed of thin strips of tough elastic wood; attheir after ends the two strips 20-.-21 are free and ,when these ends are .bent up or down 'by raising or lowering the rods 25-27 they take a curved form as indicated by dotted e. .nm.ma-

. 35 and parallel to -the spar 41, is a tube 44 o 42-43, near their after ends.

50 end of each arm 48 is pivotally attached one '55 frame 15 near the seat 54. The levers 53,

lines in Fig. 5. It has been foundthat a comparativel slight curving of the entire after ends o the Wings, the one in one directionandthe-.other in the other direction, accomplishes our ends perfectly and quickly. We find it advisable to cover both the top and the bottom of the wings with a fabric so that a smooth unbroken surface is-pre- `sented at all points to the air. At' the after lo ends of the wings the strips -21 are sepaf rately'covered with fabric so as .to permit a bending of these strips without/liability of V straining either them or the covering or \caus1ng the latter to wrinkle when the sticks l5 arebent.' A It will be observed that each of our wings are separate and that they', do not extend across the main frame 15 and While this con- Lstruction may not be necessary we prefer it zov'without desiring to` confine ourselves to it strictly. l( The elevating and depressing plane is carf ied by the ma-lnlframel to the rear of/the main wings 16-17. 'It vconsists of a spar 41 Whichis secured at right angles to the main frame 15 and fof an air engaging surface carried by this spar which can be curved up Aor down as may be necessary to -rea'ct upon-the airto cause the machine to rise 01'. to fall. To'the spar 41 are pivotally -attached*the'forward ends of thin strips of tough elastic Wood 42-43 one directly above vthe other. The after ends of these strips are free. Passing between the-strips 42-43,

which is held `in ,a fixed relation to the spar 41 by arms 45 secured toboth the spar and tothetube. y v

T46 are rods assing between the strips From Fig. 1 it .will be .seen that while the spar passes completely across the main frame l5 the elevating and depressing plane is itself made in two parts one to each side ofthe main frame. i Suitably carried in bearingsv carried by the ma-iii rame'15 is a shaft 47 and carried by. this shaft are arms 48 the after. ends of which embrace the rods 46. To the forward end of an arm 49 the other end of which embraces the rod 44.- Secured to shaft 47 are levers 50 which are connected by wires 51-52 with levers 53 which are carried by .which are double ended, as are the levels '50, are carried upon ashaft 55 through which passes a rod 56 the upper end of which is pivotally attached tothe seat 54 of 6o the operator. The seat 54 is slidingly carried by 'the frame 15.

If the machine in flight should dip downward in front the operator 'would instinctively throw himself backward and in c5 doing this he would slide the seat 54 backward, the seat being so carried by the frame". 15 that 'it can be moved forward or back# ward, changing the center of gravity of the .would be moved forward moving up the outer end of arms 48 which would raise rods 46 and bendnpward strips 42-43, which are secured to the rods 46 by spring ,connections 57 precisely similar to the connections 28 described in connection with the rods 25 and flexible strips 20-2l. ofthe main wings. If themachine tilt backward the operator would slide forward and these conditions would be reversed. The effect of the lifting or lowering of the outer end of rod 48 is to bend the strips 42-43 upward or downward. If the after ends ofthe strips, and the. fabric which covers them, be bent upward the action of the air would be to de'- press the plane 40 and. to lift the front of the machine. If this plane be bent downward the effect would' be to lift the rear of the machine and to depress its fronts ,In Fig. 9 a view of the plane with its rear bent` downward is shown.

The rudder 57, or steering plane, is arranged at right angles to the other planes and its forward end is rigidly attached-to the rear end of the main frame 15, that is to say it is not hinged to the main frame as is the usual practice and does not swing around upon pivots. 58 is a vertical bar forming part of or attached to the rear of the frame l5.

59-,60 are two thin flexible tough strips,

asI

of wood preferably, one opposite the other,

the forward ends of which are secured by pivots6l which are precisely similar to the fastening at thel front ends of the strips 42-43 of the elevating and depressing plane 40.

62 is a rod or tubek passing between thel severalstrips 59-60 .fnd secured thereto in any suitable manner, by staples or lashings 63 for instance. Tlg-z tube -62 is attached and held in a fixed relation to the bar 58 by rods'64 asis the tube 44 of the planes 40.

65 is a rod passing between the strips 59-60 of the rudder' and near its after end. This rod is parallel totube 62 and rod 58.

66 is an arm, carried` by tube 62 and projecting out from both sides and at right angles to the rudder.

67-68 are arms connecting arm 66 and rod 65.

69-70 are cables, suitably guided" on frame 15, which connect -vopposite ends of arm 66 with opposite ends of a lever 71, Fig. l, which lies longitudinally, is pivoted at its middle to frame and which'.is adapted to be engaged andwvorked, either side, back and forth by the feet of the opera.- tor. If the operator advance the left end of lever '7l with his feet the cable 70 will pull forward' the right end of level' 66 and the arm 67 connecting this lever and the rod 65 will bend the several strips 59-60 of the rudder to the lefty as shown by dotted lines inFig. 7. An opposite movement of the lever`7l' will result in an opposite bending of the-rudder. When bent' the rudder has a substantially parabolic form the forward end of the curvebeing the sharpest; when 'bent the rudder has the same form as has the elevating or depressing plane when bent,

this form being shown in Fig. 9.

straining the. covering fabric.

IHaving thus described our invention we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1'. In the main `ving of an aeroplane,'in combination, spars carried by the main ,frame of the machine', a series -of parallel ribs at right angles to and secured tosaid spars, said ribs having av rigidgfront portion and a rear portion constructedof two superposed flexible' members the rear ends of,which can play past and in contact with one anothr, a rod 'assingbetween and at right angles to said) flexible members for- .ward of their rear ends,1la spring connection between said rod and each of said flexible members, and means for operating sa1d rods to bend said flexible members either' up or down.

2.. The combination in an aeroplane, of a main frame, a seat sliding lengthwise of said frame, a two armed lever adapted to be rocked back and forth by the movements of said seat, an elevating and depresing plane constructed of an air engaging surface supported by a series of pairs'of super'- posed flexible members the after ends of which. can slide past and in contact with oneanother and the forward ends of which are hingedly connected to a spar carried by the main frame, a rod 44 passing between and near the forward end of said flexible members, a hinge connection 'between said rod and said spar, rod 46 passing between said flexible members near their after ends a spring connect-ion between said rod and said tlexible members, a rock shaft 47 carried by the main frame, a double armed lever carried by said rock shaft, connections between the ends of said double armed levers and the ends of the two arned les-'ers adjusted to be rocked by the movements of the seat, arms 48 carried by said rock shaft bers the forward'ends of which are hingedly secured to said spar and the after endsv of whichjcan slide past and in contact with one another, a means for keeping said after .ends in en a ement a rock shaft assin above and to the rear of said ri id spar connections between said rock s.aft an said flexible members, and means for rocking said shaft and for-simultaneously bending the rear ends of tile ilexible members in one direction and their forward ends in an opposite direction, substantially a5 and for the purposes set forth. L 4. In an aeroplane,in combinatioma main. frame, a vertical bar rigidly secured to the rearof said main frame, a series of pairs of flexible members the forward ends of which are hinged to said vertical bar, a rod parallel to said vertical bar passing between the flexible members near their forward ends,

connections between said bar and said rod a connect-ion between said rod and each flexible member, a second rod parallel to said first rod passing between said flexible mem- -bers near their rear ends, a sliding connec` tion between Said latter' rod and said flexible members, a cross arm connected to the front rod, connections the forward ends of which are secured to opposite cules of said cross arm and the after. ends of which are pivotally secured to said rear rod, and means for rocking said cross-arm for the purposes set forth.

5. In an aeroplane, in combination,` a main frame, main wings, carried by `said frame, the forward parts of which are rigid and the after-parts of which are flexible, a sprocket wheel carried eccentrically by a shaft, chains upon oppositesides of and in mesh with said gear, a connection bet-.veen the ends`-`of one chain and the flexible part --of one wi 0 a connection between the ends of the. other chain and the flexible part of the other wing, and guides for said chains or connections between said sprocket wheel and said wings.

6. In an aeroplane, in combination, a',

"the tube 44, a line on said slm-ft, and means frame and parallel to Said rods, arms Car therewith to bend said flexible s'ups upred by saidshaft the aftenendsf which Ward 0x' downward.

are attached to the rod near the :rter ends y,

of the flexible strips, an :mn pvoted t0 v the forward end of Sad first arm and to f Witnesses:

operated by the operator for rocking said R, B. CLEVENQER, lever to cause the several part-S Connected VJ. C. NEILL. 

